Questions and Answers

Q: What is so different about Adept Enterprise? What area of software development is the main focus?
A: Our main development focus is broken down into four major areas.

1. Windows Based (Internal or In-house, using Visual Studio .NET ).
2. Web Based (Public, Active Server Pages ASP, using Visual Studio .NET ).
3. Wireless Based (EVDO,GSM/GPRS,Wi-Fi using Visual Studio .NET ).
4. Database (Microsoft SQL Server, and SQL Mobile).

These four areas are developed into one application system that must perform and be easy to use. Adept Enterprise and it's add-on products were developed to incorporate all four major development fields listed above, and embedded software development for Windows Mobile 6.0. Many other mobile network development fields like wi-fi 802.11x, Wi-Max , and Satellite link are supported as well. Over the last few years, we teamed up with Sprint, Verizon, At&t and Brightpoint to incorporate our software capabilities over the entire Sprint, Verizon, and At&t Network, with state of the art mobile devices. Having all of our software systems developed with Microsoft Visual Studio .Net has given us the capability to release state of the art software solutions that are stable, extremely flexible and virtually bug free. All of our software development is not outsourced outside the United States like most of our competition's software development is.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise use any second party controls that you pay for, or require any additional licenses your company pays for?
A: Adept Enterprise is developed by us. We have never purchased any additional controls from second party vendors, and we never will. All of our software and controls are developed by us. We have pure control over all of our application development.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise Support Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008?
A: Adept Enterprise has been tested on all three major new Microsoft Releases for the beginning of 2008. We have worked with Microsoft for many years, and we aquire many pre-releases for beta testing that benefits their end and ours. Yes, Adept Enterprise is ready and tested for these new releases.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise have Spelling and Grammar checking like Microsoft Word?
A: Yes, All of Adepts Products has Spelling and Grammar checking throughout the Applications. Inspection comments, Planner comments, basically everything you type into the Adept systems have spelling and grammar checking. You will never have to worry about misspelling especially when posting comments on the internet.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise Support other languages other than English?
A: Adept Enterprise supports the language your workstation is running. So if you have a computer running Windows in French, Adept Enterprise is in French. Adept Enterprise supports all languages that Microsoft Windows supports. There is no additional programming needed.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise have the capability to have the International Building code searchable when entering inspection comments?
A: Yes, If your agency has purchased the International Code including Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and more from The International Code Council, you can search through the codes when entering your inspection comments inside Adept's Inspection System. We have many Inspectors using this system in the field.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise Support other currencies other than the US Dollar?
A: Adept Enterprise supports the the default currency setup in Microsoft Windows. So if your default Currency is the Euro, that is the form of currency Adept Enterprise uses.

Q: We have different Building Standards than the US, how does Adept Enterprise handle this?
A: Adept Enterprise supports the building standards that your agency inputs into the Adept System. When it comes to how an agency does business, regardless if you reside in the US, Europe, Asia, anywhere, the standards are not hard-coded. Governments are always changing, Adept Enterprise is designed to change with the government with no additional codeing required.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise use the Open Application Group with the standards of the Business Object Document (BOD) model?
A: Adept Enterprise is developed to take full advantage of Open Application Group with the standards of the Business Object Document (BOD) modeling. HTTP, SMTP, SOAP ebXML Transport and Routing and more are fully supported with this system.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise use an XML technology that allows sharing of the system and other data among department applications, while providing a highly secured network?
A: Adept Enterprise has a centralized Microsoft SQL 2005 Server database. Access to this database can be through the Microsoft Active Directory or through the Microsoft SQL Server security. Adept Enterprise communicates with this database through ADO.net. Sharing between departments is very simple and based upon Microsoft .Net. Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a platform-independent technology for describing data and for creating markup languages, XML's data portability integrates well with Visual Basic .Net based applications and service based systems like Adept Enterprise. This feature is already built into the system, and can be customized to meet the agency's sharing between department needs.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise have the technology that is full XML support using Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Universal Description Discover and Integration (UDDI)?
A: The Adept Enterprise System is written with Microsoft Visual Studio .Net. This Microsoft .Net application fully integrates XML support using Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Universal Description Discover and Integration (UDDI).

Q: Does Adept Enterprise provide the ability for a user to concurrently access and/or login to a non-application system. The functionality shall be available without having to log off of or disconnect from the application?
A: The Adept Enterprise system is a windows multi-task windows based system. The end user does not need to log off or disconnect the system to use other applications.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise provide features designed to help the casual user navigate through screens (without assistance), such as the point and describe feature commonly found in Microsoft products?
A: The Adept Enterprise has the point and describe feature, commonly found in Microsoft products, built into the system. Along with a search help system accessed by the help menu items. The Adept Enterprise is designed so the end user can easily navigate between screens. Onsite training and training manuals are provided with the system.

Q: How does Adept Enterprise identify error processing? How is it handled and delivered?
A: Error processing is handled throughout the system. If an error occurs an error ID number and description will appear in a message box. The program will NOT shut down like older applications. It will continue, but the feature that caused the error will be logged. This new error handling is only available in .Net applications and is wonderful for the end user, because it doesn't shut the program down. Every routine and sub routine of code in the Adept Enterprise system has Error handling events if an error occurs. Runtime errors should never occur in the system, based on the Error handling code. (All Runtime errors are based on programs that NO Error handling was included based upon lazy programming)

Q: Is Adept Enterprise supported on thin client devices running Microsoft Windows 2000 terminal services?
A: Yes, Adept Enterprise supports thin client devices running Microsoft Windows terminal services. Other terminal services like Citrix services are supported as well.

Q: Does the Adept Enterprise allow the simultaneous access of the same data by many users without compromising data integrity?
A: Yes, Adept Enterprise allows the simultaneous access of the same data by many users without compromising data integrity based upon ADO and ADO.net record set access.

Q: What capacity estimates (in terms of GB of storage) for the Adept Enterprise Database limitations (if any) based on a five-year projection?
A: There are no storage limitations with the Adept Enterprise database design. The storage estimates are based upon the number of permits, inspections, plan reviews, citations created yearly and increases in Parcel data, Contractor data, Address data, and Business data. The agency should estimate 1 GB per year for a total of 5 GB in database size over the next 5 years. The SQL Server 2005 database can handle this with ease. Capacity limits will not be a problem with the technology developed within the Adept Enterprise system. Our database design and testing team tested query speeds with a database over 50 GB in size. The speed and access times where not a problem, along with database integrity. However we recommend to use the Adept Enterprise Data Archival system to create multiple smaller databases out of the production database. The Adept Enterprise system has the functionality to access multiple databases at the same time. If an agency elects not to archive their data we for see no serious problems, based upon how the database table and field structures were designed.

Q: Does the Adept Enterprise system automatically lockout a user or workstation when a pre-defined number of unsuccessful log-on attempts have been made or to allow a workstation to be locked out via command from a remote station?
A: Yes, these security features are included within the administration part of the Adept Enterprise system. They can be enabled or not enabled by the system administrator. The system Administrator can assign the number of times before the user or workstation is locked from accessing the system. This protects the system from hackers or unwanted individuals from accessing the data. The administrator will be able to enable the user account and/or computer account back to active when the problem has been solved.

Q: How does Adept Enterprise maintain the variety of documents that will be issued to customers? Describe the options for producing these documents such as: Utilizing preprinted forms, Built-in graphics functionality to create appealing documents including: A variety of permit designs, Inspection "cards", Certificates of Occupancy, Notices of application, complete application, and decision.
A: Documents are very simple to maintain and create with Adept Enterprise. Adept Enterprise can attach any document type to any permit or any tracking record within the system. The system uses windows features, so whatever the windows operating system can open the Adept Access Enterprise system can open and save within the system. The document system within Adept Enterprise are broken down into two types. 1) Attached Documents 2) System Document Templates. Attached documents are just that, documents that have been saved in the system. System Document Templates are Word Documents that have been set up to pull information from the database and printed out as permits, receipts, inspection worksheets, etc. This document system is state of the art and very simple. Any end user that has used Microsoft Word has the ability to create professional and appealing documents with images and letter head.

Q: What is the maximum number of concurrent users the Adept Enterprise system can support without incurring any system performance issues, in anticipation of future growth?
A: The maximum number of concurrent users to access the Adept Enterprise system before any system performance issues occur is 32,000 concurrent users. The bottom line is if your agency has good hardware, and a well designed network, then Adept Access Enterprise with it's Microsoft SQL 2005 database should be able to handle the workload of 32,000 concurrent users without incurring any system performance issues.

Q: Is Adept Enterprise able to notify customers of inspection results, permit status, plan review status, and other pertinent information via email.
A: Yes, the Adept Enterprise uses the Windows default email client to send email to notify customers of inspection results, permit status, plan review status, and other pertinent information. This is a powerful tool because it uses the users Windows default email client, not a server based email system. So it really doesn't matter what email system the agency is using because Adept Access Enterprise simply uses the Windows default email system that is installed by the agency, like Microsoft Outlook 2007.

Q: Does Adept Enterprise have the ability to sort/query records by the subdivision?
A: Yes, subdivisions are treated like addresses, and are assigned by lot number and subdivision name. You can assign development orders, permits and planning activities to the subdivision before an address and/or parcel is assigned. Subdivisions are treated as independent addressing data, so when the addresses are added to the subdivision lot numbers, the address is added to all the permits and inspections that have taken place on that subdivision lot. What is very powerful is the permit number and address will always have the subdivision assigned to them for historic records. You now have the ability to search and sort/query records by subdivisions.

Q: What versions of Microsoft Office does Adept Support?
A: Adept Enterprise supports ALL Version of Microsoft Office. We recommend Version 2003, and 2007.

Q: Adept Wireless, should we use Tablet PCs, Laptops, or Pocket PCs in the field doing inspections?

A: From a human factor it depends on the Inspector. Eyesight is a major factor when using devices in the field. We have Inspectors that have problems with the Pocket PC, because the screen is to small, however we have Inspectors that really like the Pocket PC and its ease in small cramp places when doing inspections. Laptops and Tablet PCs are used a lot, and are well liked. Some Laptops are permanently mounted in the Inspector Trucks with Laser Printers too. I have helped setup and install Inspector Trucks with wireless Wifi networks running on the Trucks. So the inspector can use his mobile and print to his printer in the truck through the trucks wireless connections. I recommend from a human factor to give the Inspectors the capability to use them all. Now from the Hardware, Software and Cost factors, Adept Wireless runs on all Tablet PCs, Laptops, and Pocket PCs for one price. Your Inspectors have the capability to connect in real time, and if the connection is unavailable you can save your results and push them out to the office when your connection is reestablished.